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child brides Pakistan

In this so called Islamic society of ours, its surprising how so many false and unfair practices are followed even by our most educated families. One of those is forcing your child to marry someone absolutely without their consent.
‘Abhe nae pasnd tou kia hua, aik bar nikkah krdo sb theek hojaega.’ ‘Bacha hai tou kia hua, prhae likhae shadi k bad krlega’
And the list goes on and on. I completely respect the fact that parents have the right to ‘suggest’ their children who they should marry and who they shouldn’t, but Islam does NOT give them the right to take this decision all by themselves, specially when their child isn’t willing to.

It is estimated that 21% of girls in Pakistan are forcefully married before the age of 18.
These marriages either end up in divorces or children blaming their parents all their life.
Here’s a small series of photographs I recently took portraying this horrible act which has been practiced by years.

I know it won’t end this practice, but at least it may convey the darker side of it and educate someone to take a step.